Spring-tire



J. DAVIS.

SPRING TIRE.

APPLICATION FILED ocT 2H.v |915.

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SPRING TlRE.

APPLICATION FILED ocT 28. 1915.

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unirsi) sTATns PATENT ortica.

JOHN DAVIS, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SPRING-TIRE.

Application'fuea october 2s, 1915.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JOHN Davis, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring- Tires, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the aecompanying drawings.

The invention relates to spring tires and consists in the provision of' a spring tire in which the spring elements are all demountable as a unitary structure from the wheel felly; in the provision of a plurality of spring elements positioned between concentrically arranged annular members; in the provision of spring elements that may be initially held under compression so as to facilitate the ready assembling of the spring elements between the concentrieallyarranged members;` in the provision of a construction of spring tire that will permit ready access to the parts for repairing or replacing the spring elements. Further, the invention consists in certain details of construction, arrangements and combinations of parts as will more fully hereinafter appear.

In the drawings,d

Figure l is a vertical central longitudinal section through a portion of a wheel felly and a tire embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line www of Fig. l;

Figs. 3 and 4L illustrate a modified construction. l

The tire embodying my invention is primarily intended for use on automobiles, but it is of course adaptedfor use in other vehicles.

A designates the felly of the wheel and B the spokes. C is the permanent band attached to the felly and upon which is mounted the spring tire. The spring tire is made up of a plurality of spring elements each of like construction. Each of these elements is composed of an outer member C', a coil Spring D and an inner member FJ. Carried by one of the members as the member C is a nut F with which the end of a bolt Gr is adapted to engage, the bolt G acting to temporarily compress the coil spring between the abutments E and C', as will more fully hereinafter appear. The member C is herein shown as having Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

serial No. 58,318.

imvardly-extending sides H, and as having the ends l turned inward, as 4will be noted upon reference to Fig. l. Secured against the inner face of the member C by means `of the flange K or by other means, is a guide J having an inwardly-extending neck l arranged within the end of the spring. The member E is also shown as provided with a neck portion as L. This neck portion however, is cup-shaped and is provided with a central aperture M for receiving the bolt Gr.

N is a band or slip rim provided yat spaced intervals with a plurality of collars O `and these collars are adapted to be inrounded member N thereon and the wedging member N2 between said bands N and C, and the side plates are secured in place as by means of clips T.

`ln assembling the tire the springs are arranged between the members E and C and compressed therebetween by means of bolts G. as shown in Fig. 2. The spring elements are then positioned within the outer concentric member Q and preferably in orderto circumferentially space the spring elements properly within the band, the nutsF are provided with `heads U that are inserted within apertures V in the band Q, or otherwise intcrlocked therewith. The band or slip rim N is then arranged within the spring clements, with the collars 0 alining with the members E. A. suitable tool is inserted within the collar O and the bolts Gr re moved. Upon the removing of the bolts G the springs tend to spread the opposed abutments C and E and this will exert pressure upon the inner and outer bands. The tread member P may then be arranged over the outer band Q, or preferably the outer band Q, may be positioned within the tread member P before the spring elements are engaged therewith. One of the side plates S is positioned upon the permanent band C and the tread member and the spring elements composed of the bands N and Q are then inserted laterally into engagement with the rounded member N on band C and then the wedgingmember N2 is inserted between band N and band C. The other side plate S is then positioned upon the band C and secured in place 'by the clamping members T.

By the arrangement just described it will be apparent that the placing` of the spring elements `temporarily under compression permitsthe parts to be readily assembled, while by forming the parts so that the spring portion of the tire may be laterally slid as a unit into engagement with the telly, the attaching or detaching of the tire may be readily performed. VlVhen it is desired to repair a springelement the spring sec- Jfion of the tire is removed from the felly and a holt G inserted through the collar'O into engagement with the nut F and the spring compressed between the members E and C. The element then may be withdrawn without disturbing` the remaining elements.

In Figs. 3 and 4t IV have shown a modification in which the slip rim A is provided with outwardly-extending lugs B radially slotted at C2. The outer abutment D is in the form of a cap having ears E extending therefrom which are connected by pins F to the slotted lugs on the inner band. At the ends the cap members have inwardlyextendingj Hanges Gr forming guides or abutments for the spring. The spring G2 has one end abutting against the cap member D and has the opposite end engaging an abutment II formed by an inverted U- shaped member havinglaterally/*extending feet I that terminate in outwardly-extend Ving flanges J. K2 is a bolt for temporarily holding the spring under compression, so

'as to facilitate assembling of the parts. The

slip rim A is provided with an aperture L to permit a tool to be inserted therethrough into engagement with the nut M on the bolt K2. Preferably the slip rim A is provided with cut-away portions or recesses N3 upon opposite sides thereof to receive the member B,rwhile the inner end of the member B is bent beneath the slip rim A and has an outwardly-extending flange O projecting, through anaperture I in the slip the slip rim A and the lugs B positioned upon the slip rim and secured to the ears E lon the cap members. When so mounted the `nut M is removed, which permits the spring to expand. The parts may then be assembled on the felly band in the manner described in connection with Figs. l and 2.

If desired, in order to form a guide for the outer end of the spring, the cap niember D may be provided with a plurality of inwardly-extending lugs Q which form a centering means for the outer convolution of the spring. In the construction last dcscribed the outer concentric member is omitted and the tread member proper is arranged directly over the cap members. However, the outer concentric member might be employed in this construction.

What I claim as my invention is:-

l. In a spring tire, a spring section detachable as a unit from a wheel'felly, said spring section including a slip rim and a plurality of spring elements independently engageable with the rim, and means for independently compressing the spring elements, said means being adapted to release the spring elements from compression when the elements are assembled on the rim.

2. In a spring tire, a spring section composed of a slip rim engageable with or dctachable from the wheel felly and a plurality of spring elements each comprising an outer abutment, an inner abutment, a spring and a member for temporarily holding said spring under compression between said abutments, said slip rim having apertured portions permitting access to said compressing member whereby when said spring elcments are assembled upon the slip rim said elements may be released from compression.

3. A spring tire attachable as a unit to a wheel felly comprising circumferentially-ar ranged members, a plurality of spring elements between said members each composed of spaced abutments, anda spring between said abntments, and internal means for temporarily compressing said spring between said abutments, removable to permit the spring to exert an expansible pressure upon said circumferentially-arranged members.

4. In a spring tire, a spring section composed of eircumferentially-arranged members and a plurality of spring elements, each of said elements comprising opposed abutments and a coil spring arranged between said opposed abutments, and a member for temporarily compressing the spring between said opposed abutment-s, one of said circumferentially-arranged members being provided with apertures permitting access to the members for temporarily holding the springs under compression, whereby the springsmay be released from compression when assembled between said circumferentially-arranged members.

y 5. A spring tire, comprising a spring section composed of circumferentially-arranged members and a pluralityof spring elements each comprising spaced abutments, a coil spring between said abutments, a bolt 1 ,enanas acting to temporarily hold the spring under compression between said abutments, and seats upon one of the circumferentially arranged members with which one of the abutments of each spring element is adapted to engage, said last-mentioned circumferentially-arranged member being provided with apertured portions providing access to said bolts to release the springs from compression when the spring elements are assembled between said circumterentially-arranged members.

6. ln a spring tire, the combination with cireumferentially-arranged members, the inner member being provided with a -plurality of outwardly-extending hollow collars, and a plurality of spring elements each composed o spaced abutments, one abutment ot each of the spring elements being adapted to engage one ot the collars upon the inner member and to seat thereupon, a guide upon the other abutment for the spring, and means insertible through said hollow collar for compressing the spring between said opposed abutments, 'for the purpose described.

7. In a spring tire, a spring section detachable from and attacliable to a wheel telly as a unit, said spring section comprising a slip rim and a plurality ot spring elements engageable with said slip rim independently otl each other, and, means within said spring section for independently compressing the spring elements, said means adapted to release said spring elements from compression when the same are assembled on said slip rim.

In testimony whereof I a'HiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOI-IN DAVIS.

llitnesses JAMES P. BARRY, PHYLLrs COBURN. 

